Some words have a corresponding masculine and feminine version where the masculine version ends in ā and the feminine version ends in ī
Masculine | Feminine | ||
Punjabi | English | Punjabi | English |
dādā | Paternal grandfather | dādī | Paternal grandmother |
bēṭā | Son | bēṭī | Daughter |
chūhā | Mouse (male) | chūhī | Mouse (female) |
ghoṛā | Horse (male) | ghoṛī | Horse (female) |
pahāṛ | Mountain | pahāṛī | Small mountain, hill |
Some masculine nouns ending in ī have their feminine version ending in aṇ.
Singular | Plural | ||
English | Punjabi | English | Punjabi |
panjjābī | Punjabi (male) | panjjābaṇ | Punjabi (female) |
dhobī | Washer (male) | dhobaṇ | Washer (female) |
darajī | Tailor (male) | darajaṇ | Tailor (female) |
Other masculine nouns not ending in any vowel sound sometimes have their feminine form ending in āṇī, ānī
Singular | Plural | ||
English | Punjabi | English | Punjabi |
shēr | Lion | shēranī | Lioness |
sādh | Sadhu (male) | sādhaṇī | Sadhu (female) |
jēṭh | Husband’s elder brother | jēṭhāṇī | Husband’s elder brother’s wife |
naukar | Worker (male) | naukarāṇī | Worker (female) |